


From Such Devotion

by Lapin



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Humor, First Love, Jane Austen - Freeform, M/M, Past Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-30
Updated: 2012-09-11
Packaged: 2017-11-13 04:27:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/499475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lapin/pseuds/Lapin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Jane Austen's <em>Persuasion</em> and <em>Legend of Korra</em> collide. </p><p>Almost four years ago, in the middle of a war between the United Republic and the Earth Kingdom, Bolin and Iroh fell in love. Bolin chose to let him go, though, thanks to some well-meaning, and perhaps entirely correct, advice. </p><p>Sometimes though, we get a second chance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N I have no explanation for myself. I really don't. I'm so sorry. I blame the Broh Tumblr! And Tiny Chat! It's all your fault! Why do you give me ideas? 
> 
> Also, Jane Austen is funny, in all her seriousness, so I will try to make this as light-heartedly angsty as possible. Please, please criticize me. I will never improve without it.
> 
> Disclaimer: _Avatar: Legend of Korra_ is owned by Nickelodeon Studios, and I express no affiliation with them, nor do I profit in any way from the use. Jane Austen's work falls into fair use, so I offer only my apologies, and pray she wouldn't laugh too hard at me for even daring to try to be as funny as her.

In a small attic above the arena, there was a newspaper clipping, carefully preserved between the pages of a half-finished journal. It was small, barely a few lines. It listed two names, the date, and the details of how they had been found, years ago, on a quiet street one morning, as the shop owner unlocked the door. Beside it, on the journal, more details had been written, by an unsteady hand, telling their full names and ages, and quietly noting that they were survived by their sons. 

Sometimes, when Mako was feeling particularly lonely, he'd take the lacquered box off its place of honor, a small, makeshift shrine in the corner, and flip through the journal. With careful, almost fearful fingers, he'd follow the careful brush strokes that filled the pages, as they detailed the birth of first Mako, then Bolin, and their subsequent progress. Between the pages were pressed leaves she had found pretty, a flower that had long ago lost all color, and lines of poetry she'd liked. 

When Bolin was younger, he'd liked Mako to read parts of it out loud, and had asked him to recount stories of them, every detail Mako could remember, until he fell asleep. As he got older though, he'd asked for it less and less, until the day came when Mako realized he couldn't remember the last time Bolin had done so. He had managed what Mako had not, in that he'd finally been able to move on.

Mako couldn't though, too frightened that if he stopped taking the box down, and flipping through the pages, he'd forget, and then they would really be gone, forever. 

So far though, the boys thought they had done a pretty good job of raising each other and watching each other's backs, despite everything they had going against them. 

Like a storm cloud though, bad luck had a habit of following them. Which was why one day, they found themselves sitting on the curb, with their things in two rucksacks, the lacquered box held securely on Mako's lap, and Bolin's pet, Pabu, wrapped around the earthbender's neck like a scarf.

“What are we going to do?” Bolin asked, head in hand, as he looked to his older brother. Mako had always been able to solve problems like this before, and Bolin, despite being twenty, had no concept of the idea that Mako might, for once, be just as much at a loss as he was. 

The smoke rising from where the arena was could still be seen, over the rooftops. Thankfully, their side had been untouched, and they'd gotten everything they needed out before the fire department showed up, but at this point, that was the only good thing about the day. The arena was in danger of collapsing outright, from what they'd overheard as they frantically grabbed their things, the supports shot thanks to the explosion. 

“We'll think of something.” Mako replied, determined to keep calm, for Bolin's sake. 

“Hey, maybe we should go see Shin-”

“No.” Mako cut him off forcefully, and Bolin shrank down from the tone. “Just, we don't need to resort to that just yet. There's got to be somewhere we can go.” 

Bolin, despite what people thought, was actually a pretty quick thinker, and it was with triumph that he announced, “Air Temple Island! That's where we'll go!”

Mako was honestly shocked he hadn't thought of that first. “You think they'll let us stay?” 

“Well, duh, we're only the Avatar's best friends in the whole wide world!” As usual, Bolin gesticulated happily, and Pabu clung on for dear life as he did so. 

“But Korra's not there right now.”

Korra had been away for over a year now, off negotiating the peace treaty between the United Republic and the Earth Kingdom, and effectively quelling the skirmishes that still broke out. The boys received letters from her often, her messy handwriting highlighted by pictures of the action, and less flattering ones of whatever politician was boring her. 

“Dude, do you really think Pema will turn us away?” Bolin asked, looking incredulous, and really, he had a point. Pema would sooner eat meat. Still, good idea though it was, Mako wasn't really eager to go to Air Temple Island. Korra was due back soon, and despite their attempts to patch up their friendship, things were still bound to be awkward between them.

“I don't know, Bo,”

His little brother sighed noisily. “You can sleep in the park if you want. I am heading to the Island, where Pema will feed me and give me a bed.” 

Mako narrowed his eyes. “You're not going anywhere without me.” 

“Then I guess you're going to Air Temple Island.” Bolin said, shouldering his bag, and starting down the street. Mako stared after him for a moment, trying to work out just how he had been tricked like that, exactly, by Bo of all people, before realizing he was losing sight of him. So he hefted his own bag, and with the box held carefully, hurried after his little brother.

-

“Oh boys,” Pema exclaimed, as she embraced them both in turn. “I was so worried when I saw the smoke, but no one had seen either of you! I'm so happy you're alright!” She gave Bolin an extra hug, because people always gave him extra hugs, for some reason, and looked between them. “Do you need a place to stay?”

“Yeah,” Bolin felt a little sheepish about asking, now that he was actually faced with it, because he hated hand-outs, but there was no way he and Mako could afford anything liveable. “Could we, actually?”

“Of course,” She said. “You're actually a little lucky about the timing.”

Bolin was happily anticipating a bath over at the men's bathhouse, and maybe dinner with Pema, so he was only half-listening when Mako inquired as to why, as Pema led them to the men's dorms. 

“The ship bringing Korra is going to dock here for a time, and I offered the island to it. We have so much room, and I'm sure the sailors would appreciate the quiet.” She said, smiling. “It's been a long war, for all of them.”

“Not as long as it could have been.” Mako pointed out, correctly. This one had been going on for five years, though it had been brewing for a long time before that. The only reason it was ending now was all thanks to Korra. “Which ship is it?”

“Hm,” Pema tapped her chin, as they entered the building. “What was the name? It was very pretty, I remember.” They followed her down the hall, and up the stairs, as she went through names, attempting to land on the right one. “The Aurora, that was it!” She announced triumphantly, when she reached an empty set of room.

Bolin froze.

“Whose the captain?” Mako asked, almost absentmindedly, as he threw his bag down in the room Pema indicated, setting the box with their parents' things in it down more carefully on a plain table in the center. 

“Captain Iroh,” He answered for her, without thinking.

He felt, rather than saw, Mako looking at him, and he made a concentrated effort to not look up at his brother as he fumbled with the strap of his bag. 

“I need to change,” He said, trying to excuse himself before Pema got suspicious, if she wasn't already. “All this soot, you know, I'll start smelling like Mako.” His brother made an offended face, but he didn't care, not right now, when he needed to get as far away from his brother as possible. Distracting him was probably in his best interest right now anyway, because he was sure Mako already had a confrontation planned.

Damn, he thought, as he entered his own room and shut the door. Out of every ship in the fleet, Korra picked his? 

It had been three years. He'd hoped he was over this. Mako certainly thought he was. 

But, that wasn't how this kind of thing worked, was it? People always said that you never really got over your first, and he was probably living proof of that. Maybe if things had ended better, maybe if he didn't feel like he'd lost out on something, even now, years later, it wouldn't be so bad. His name wouldn't cause an ache in Bolin's heart, wouldn't make him think about the cigar box hidden among his clothes in the rucksack, the one that held all the letters he'd sent, three years ago.

Embarrassed, and sad, he dug it out, leaving his clothing scattered across the bed. The letters were starting to get discolored, despite his best efforts, the ink fading. They crinkled a little, as he lifted them up to show the items underneath. Ticket stubs, from the city orchestra, all tied up with a red ribbon. A dried fire lily, that he'd brought Bolin with a smile, to go with the breakfast he'd bought them that morning. 

And a pair of dog tags, scratched and worn, that Iroh had pressed into his hand with a kiss. He'd gotten a new pair, he'd said, since these ones were so faded, and he wanted Bolin to have the old ones. It had made Bolin happy, and he'd worn them around his neck with pride. It had made him even happier when Iroh told him they could be considered an engagement gift. 

If Bolin wanted it to be, that was.

And he had. 

Just until he got something nicer, more suitable, he'd said, but he'd been happy too, had kissed Bolin over and over after. They'd been so happy, that day.

Mako opened the door, and he slammed the lid shut, guilty. 

His brother eyed the box with disdain, as Bolin carefully put it away, and started folding his clothes. 

“Has he been writing to you?” He sounded pretty mad about the idea, not that Bolin blamed him. He had promised, after all, to not do that, and he never broke promises to Mako. 

“No.” He answered, honestly, shaking his head. “No, he just gets mentioned in the papers a lot.” When wasn't he in the papers, the brave Captain Iroh, who had never lost a battle? 

“Bo,” His brother sighed. “Tell me this isn't going to be a problem.” 

“It's not going to be a problem.” He repeated dully, pretty sure it was a lie. He was a terrible liar, when it came to Mako. 

“You know it was the right decision.” Mako said, firm. “You were too young, and we were in the middle of a war. You had only known each other for six months, and you'd been separated for half of them.” He frowned. “Not to mention the other thing.” 

'The other thing' was the thing Iroh didn't like to talk about, the thing Bolin didn't like to think about. 

Bolin looked down at his clothes. “Yeah, well, maybe I don't agree with that anymore.”

“You're only saying that because he's alive.” Mako replied. “I was right, and you know it. His family would never have approved it, and where would you have been? Stuck in the Fire Nation, with those people? Waiting to hear the worst, every single day? You would have been miserable, and you know it.” 

He wasn't wrong, Bolin knew that, but he still couldn't help but feel that maybe this had been the wrong choice anyway. 

Hindsight had perfect vision though, didn't it? 

“It's not like I blame you.” He said, because he didn't, and he didn't want to hurt his brother by making him think he did. “I just...sometimes I wonder, you know?” 

Mako rubbed the back of his head, upset. “Yeah, I get that. I just...” He paused, his expression torn. “I was just trying to protect you, you know that, right?” 

“Yeah, I know that.” He really didn't want to talk about this anymore, not with Mako, not with anyone.

His brother knew him well enough to figure that out without him saying a word, so left him alone to get changed. But he ended up sitting on the bed, the box closed, all the precious items it held safely contained within. It was stupid, dwelling over it. For all he knew, Iroh was married now, to some suitable member of the Fire Nation court. Maybe he even had kids now. 

After all, Bolin had just been a stupid dalliance, hadn't he? That was what he had said, when Bolin had told him that maybe he wasn't so sure about the marriage thing. Of course, that wasn't all he had said. At first, he had pleaded, tried to change Bolin's mind, but all Bolin had been able to hear was Mako's pointed refusal, and the thought of losing his older brother was too scary to contemplate. 

He opened the box again, to look at the dog tags. He had tried to give them back, by the end of the argument, but Iroh had just put them back around Bolin's neck. They were a gift, he had said. Meant for Bolin, and no one else. 

He wondered what they would say to each other, what they could say to each other. It would be easier, maybe, if Iroh was married. Then he could finally crush the stupid flutter in his heart, would finally let himself move on for good. 

It would be for the best, really.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iroh and Korra arrive on Air Temple Island, and the story gets a little more elaboration.

“Korra will be here in a few hours!” Ikki squealed, nearly knocking Bolin off his feet as she spun around him, Jinora walking more sedately beside him. “Do you think she'll want to have an air scooter race? Ooh, or maybe we could play bending ball!”

Bolin shook his head. “Your mom banned it, remember?” That had not been entirely Bolin and Korra's fault either, but Mako had somehow managed to avoid the blame, yet again. Bolin had never worked out how he did that. 

“What Mom doesn't know,” Ikki sing-songed.

“Maybe we shouldn't get Korra in trouble on her first day back.” Bolin cautioned. “And I bet she's really tired, anyway. She's been away for awhile. So maybe she'll just want to, you know, rest for a bit?” When Ikki turned large eyes teetering on the edge of heartbreak up to him though, he quickly added, “But I'm sure seeing you guys will be more important than anything!” 

That made the sad face go away, to his relief. He was no good with crying girls. 

Korra had sounded really excited over the radio, promising they were going to be home by dinner. Mako was doing that thing where he paced and pretended he wasn't nervous, which just made Bolin nervous, because when Mako was nervous, he tended to firebend in his sleep, and Bolin _really_ didn't like that. 

By focusing on Mako, and Korra, he could pretend that there was nothing else significant about the arrival of the Aurora. He could tell himself over and over that it had been years, that those years changed everything, that he was going to see Iroh and it would all be fine, they would be fine. They were adults, they could behave. 

It wasn't like he even had to see him, did he? He would be really busy with the ship, probably, and wouldn't have time to just wander around and run into him. He really hoped that was the case, if he was honest. The only thing worse than not being over someone was seeing just how over you they were, and there was no way Iroh wasn't over Bolin, especially given how mad he had been.

Oh man, what if Korra knew? She seemed like she was really getting along with Iroh when she wrote home, what if there had been drinking and bonding over the fact they'd both dated a Fabulous Bending Brother? Granted, Korra had broken up with Mako, but _still_. Bonding could have happened. 

“Uh, Bolin?” Jinora was looking at him funny. “Are you okay? You look like you're going to be sick.” 

“Fine,” Bolin muttered, waving her off. If the fourteen-year-old could tell he was anxious, no way Mako couldn't, no matter how distracted he was. “Just worried about Mako and Korra.” 

“Ooh, do you think they'll fall in love again?” Ikki squealed, clasping her hands together as she did another little twirl. “It'll be just like the story of Li and Mai, when they were tragically torn apart by war, but then, they were reunited, and-”

Bolin had been trying to remember that story as she spoke. “Isn't that the one where they get burned at the stake together?” He interrupted. 

“Yes,” Ikki half flew off the ground, bending to catch the air under her clothing. “Isn't it romantic?” 

He looked down at Jinora, but the other girl just shrugged. “I don't think Mako would really like that. Actually, I'm not sure you could burn Mako at the stake. I mean, can't firebenders divert that kind of thing? And Korra would just waterbend it.” 

Ikki glared at him. “Why aren't boys more romantic?” She huffed. 

_One lone fire lily, to go with the tea and dumplings, the poor thing wilting without water._

“Must not be in our nature.” He replied, smiling. “You two aren't going to go crazy when you see all those sailors, are you?” He was a little more worried about Ikki than he was Jinora. The older girl was every bit as obsessed with romance as her sister, but Jinora possessed a bit more practicality, thankfully. Ikki was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm, and that, combined with being all of eleven, made him worry she was going to embarrass herself.

“I want to see Captain Iroh!” Ikki squealed, and he just managed to not react beyond the necessary. 

“Oh?”

“He's supposed to be really handsome!” She said, and Jinora spoke up as well to this.

“Everyone always says he is, but Korra's never mentioned it in her letters.” She was less likely to believe idle gossip. “Don't get your hopes up. I bet he's really average.”

Bolin spoke before he could think better of it. “No, he's really good-looking.” 

Both girls were looking at him with avid interest now, Jinora raising her eyebrows as Ikki skidded to a stop in front of him. “Have you _met_ him?” Her voice was high-pitched and manic, as she grabbed the front of his shirt. 

“Um,” Bolin tried not to recoil, because she was _eleven_ , and he was a grown man. “Yeah, I have. A long time ago. I doubt he even remembers.”

_“I don't remember ever being so happy.”_

He'd just lied to Ikki. He was pretty sure that made him a bad person. 

“How?” She demanded. “How did you meet him?”

Now he had to lie some more, which sucked, because he wasn't very good at it. Good thing Ikki wasn't very good at spotting an obvious lie just yet. “It was four years ago, when he was still a lieutenant. He came to a match, and we ended up talking.” _He took me to dinner, and then we broke into the park and fed the turtle ducks and then we kind of made out a little, and Mako almost had a fit, he was so mad, because I didn't get home until after dawn._

“That is so _cool_!” She bounced away, using her bending to get some real height, as Jinora watched her with the disdainful look of an older sister. “You can introduce us!”

“No, I told you, he probably doesn't even remember!” He tried to head her off before she got started. “Korra can introduce you! In fact, don't even mention me to him, it's not necessary, he'd probably think it was weird I even remembered-” Ikki wasn't listening, but Jinora was.

“You're acting really suspicious, just so you know.” She told him, but thankfully didn't push. Knowing Jinora, she'd wait until she had him between a rock and a hard place before she tried to get more out of him. 

Bolin just tried not to blush, because seriously, he was not getting interrogated by a fourteen-year-old. He was not that pathetic. 

“Mom invited Captain Iroh to dinner.” She said, as Ikki twirled away from them, lost in her own little world. “I'm getting the feeling that's something you need to know.” 

It really was, and jeez, now what was he going to do? He wasn't ready to see him, now that he was faced with the inevitability of it. There was no way this wasn't going to be horribly awkward, the state he was in just thinking about him. And he just knew Mako was going to make things more difficult. He hadn't been Iroh's biggest fan back then, for a lot of reasons that Bolin knew weren't exactly wrong, and his opinion of him had sunk even further after everything went so wrong. 

“Can you do me a favor?” He asked, now that Ikki was completely out of earshot. “Can you not mention any of this conversation to anyone else? Please?” 

Jinora sighed. “You're going to owe me a favor.” That was not a notion he liked. Jinora could be crafty, when she wanted something, especially if it was something her parents had forbidden. He was sure to end up in trouble, for whatever it was. On the other hand, everyone in the temple could find out that there was some rather embarrassing history to gossip over, and then Bolin would have to hide under a rock for the next twenty years. 

It was the lesser of the two evils, he decided. “Alright.” 

“Pleasure doing business with you.” She chirped in a pleasant manner that completely hid how downright devious she really was. 

In his room, later that evening, he watched the ship dock with a heavy heart. It wouldn't be long now, he thought, as he found something to change into, something nicer than his usual clothes. 

When he stepped out into the hallway, he was nearly knocked over by the whirling dervish that was Korra, as she knocked the wind out of him before wrapping her arms around him in a rib-crushing hug that lifted him an inch off the ground. “Bolin!” 

Getting his bearings back, he got his arms around her too, and hugged back just as hard. “Korra!” 

“I missed you so much!” She squeezed him again, before finally letting go.

She had lost weight, the definition of muscle on her arms clearer from the fat that had been stripped away stuck eating ship food, and fighting battles. “You look like you need a meal.” He assessed, and she sagged dramatically. 

“Like you wouldn't believe, I swear, I've been starving for the past year! We are getting noodles, first thing tomorrow, like, a lot of noodles. And dumplings! So many dumplings! I am going to eat the hell out of some dumplings.” He winced in sympathy. He hated being hungry, and not many realized just how much food people like Korra and him needed. Fighting was hard work, and muscle required a whole lot of noodles to keep up. 

“I'll have to check my calender,” Bolin teased. “But I think I fit you in for breakfast.” She punched him in the arm, laughing, and he did it right back. He'd missed her more than he thought, and with her in front of him, he suddenly wanted to spend every second with her that he could. The whole issue with Iroh was secondary to getting his best friend back. 

“You're such a dork.” She sighed. “I missed you, Bo. It was lonely, without you.” 

“I missed you, too.” 

She grinned. “Well, duh. Of course you missed me.” She looked around. “So, what happened to the arena? Why are you and Mako living here?”

Bolin huffed. “They were doing construction next door, and the next thing we knew, there was fire everywhere. Apparently, some of the equipment overheated, and exploded. The firebenders on the crew were able to divert most of the flame away from people, so no one was really hurt, thankfully, but the arena is a mess.” They were starting construction on it sometime this week, he'd heard, but it was going to be slow going. They were probably going to have to replace all the supports.

“That sucks.” She put her hands behind her head, elbows out. “I was really looking forward to seeing some matches, maybe getting back into the ring, you know?” She smiled toothily. Before, when Korra had been waiting at Air Temple Island to leave for the front lines, she had briefly fought a few matches with them. It hadn't lasted of course, because she had responsibilities, and all, but she had made a good teammate. 

“It wouldn't be the same, anyway.” He replied. “Now that Mako's a cop. I still haven't found a good replacement for him.” 

“Aw, but you replaced me?” She pouted playfully.

“Not in my heart.” He said, flirting casually. 

She laughed at him, and was still laughing when Mako rounded the corner. 

For a second, there was an awkward silence. The break-up had been necessary, Korra off to fight a war, and neither thinking a long-distance relationship was a good idea, especially when the possibility of Korra dying, however small, had been hanging between them. She didn't need the baggage, or the strain it would put on her. 

“Hey,” Mako said, hands in his pockets. 

Korra waved. “Hey.” 

Bolin looked between them.

“You got really skinny.” Trust his brother to put his foot in his mouth by saying the first thing that came to mind. 

Korra poked her own stomach. “It's pathetic, right? You'd think the Avatar would get priority with the rations, but no, that would imply favoritism.” She mimed someone talking, with her hand. “Stupid Tenzin.”

The airbending master hadn't stayed at the front lines long, it being considered more important for him to stay in the City, to sit on the Council. He'd been back for months now, but clearly, he had been lecturing Korra from afar in the meantime. 

“Well, Pema's had the kitchen working all day.” Mako said, smiling, a little. “You and Bolin can eat to your heart's content.” 

Bolin liked the sound of that, but when they entered the main building, a problem was found with that plan. Pema was holding Rohan, her four-year-old son, a bounce in her step as he sobbed. 

Concerned, he came over, Rohan looking at him tearily. “Hey, little guy, what's wrong?” 

“He chose today, of all days, to be sick. He's been running a fever all afternoon.” Pema answered. “There's no way he can go to dinner tonight.” She looked disappointed. “I was really looking forward to meeting General Iroh, too.” 

Bolin held out his arms without thinking. “I'll watch him.” 

Pema shook her head. “Bolin, no, I can't ask you to do that. You haven't seen Korra in a year, you should catch up.” 

“We can catch up tomorrow.” He insisted, taking the fussy child from her. “You've worked really hard on this dinner, and I owe you for giving me a place to stay. I don't mind.” He really didn't. Pema deserved to enjoy herself with her family and Korra. “It's no big deal.” 

“But you won't get to meet Iroh.” Korra said, crossing her arms over her chest. Mako, thankfully, said nothing. “He's so cool, you'll love him.”

Mako was practically burning a hole through Bolin's back with his eyes. “No,” Bolin said, getting a better grip on Rohan. “It's fine. I can meet him any time.” 

“Really,” Pema stroked her sick son's back. “Bolin, you don't have to, I don't mind.”

“I'll be fine.” He backed away from her. “Have a good party.” 

Pema was clearly reluctant to give in, but she also quite clearly wanted to spend some time with Korra. In the end, she gave in, and Bolin found himself back in his usual clothes, reading a story to the feverish Rohan. The boy was teetering on the edges of sleep for the better part of two hours, his eyes glassy and half-closed as he breathed noisily. 

Eventually though, he dropped off, and Bolin read to himself, keeping watch over him in case he needed something.

Jinora brought him food, courtesy of her mother's gratitude, and sat down with him to keep him company.

“So.” She opened, fixing the covers on her brother. “Does that whole 'don't mention me to Iroh' thing have anything to do with the way your brother and him are trying to light each other on fire with their eyes?”

Bolin shook his head. “Mako always did hate him.” 

“Want to tell me why?” 

He picked at his food, somewhat less hungry. “It's kind of a long story.” 

She just looked at him. “I have time.” 

She wasn't budging on this, and if he didn't answer her now, she was going to go find the answer somewhere else, maybe with Mako. “Four years ago, Iroh was here in Republic City off and on for six months. Me and him, we were together.” He put his plate aside. “He asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”

Jinora was listening with rapt attention. “After six months?”

“We were in love. It seemed like a good idea, and I really wanted to.” 

“Then why aren't you two married?” 

“Because Mako talked me out of it.” He said, his heart breaking again just at the memories of that day. “We were really young, and the war was really bad then. I don't know if you remember, but that was when the riots were happening in the former colonies, along with the battles. A lot of people were dying. And Iroh was on the front lines. Not only that, Iroh is...you know.” 

Jinora nodded. “Yeah, I know.”

“If I married him, the laws required that I'd of had to go live in the Fire Nation for at least a year, been separated from Mako, while waiting for Iroh to come home.” He looked down at his knees, embarrassed over how afraid he had been at the idea. “Mako was against the whole idea. And he's my brother. I couldn't just go against him. So I told him we couldn't. And he...” He couldn't finish, because apparently four years wasn't long enough.

“You broke his heart, didn't you?” She provided. 

He nodded. “And mine.” 

“That's a really good reason to not want to see him.” She said, smoothing down the covers. “I figured you guys had dated, but I hadn't realized....wow. It's weird, to think about you being married.” 

“Yeah.” It was weird, to think of how his life could be so different, if he had gone against Mako all those years ago. 

“I won't tell anyone.” She promised, nodding solemnly. “Not even Korra.”

“She'll probably find out sooner or later.” He said, accepting the inevitable. “But thanks.”

“Just remember.” She said. “You owe me.”

Of course.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning brought Korra, bright and early, ready to eat. 

“Morning!” She greeted, as she jumped on him. 

Startled awake, Korra was damn lucky Mako was the firebender, because Bolin panicked enough to at least make the coins in her purse rattle threateningly. Curious, she looked down at it, then Bolin, seemingly quite comfortable in her perch on Bolin's chest. “Wow, you've gotten way better.”

“Korra?” He rolled over on to his back, blinking up at her, grumpy and hungry and uncomfortable with her practically in his lap. “Do you mind?” 

“Aw, what's wrong?” She grinned, poking at him. “Not used to such a hot girl in your bed?” 

“Like I could get it up for you,” Bolin scoffed, shoving at her. “At this point, you're like my sister.” 

“Nah, I think you're still nursing that crush, just a little, admit it.” She teased, pinning him down as best she could in the position, which, considering it was Korra, was pretty good. 

Bolin groaned sleepily, and knocked her off him, causing her to tumble off his low bed and onto the carpet. Grumpy, he glared at her, as he stretched until he felt some joints pop, then ran his fingers through his hair, hoping they'd miraculously inspire some semblance of order. “Why in the love of all that is noodles are you awake at this hour?” 

“This is when everyone gets up on the ship.” She moaned dramatically. “I can't sleep in if I try.” 

He shrugged, not terribly sympathetic, considering she had decided that if she had to be awake, so did he. His stomach, the traitor, started growling, noticing that he was awake and not eating. “So, where are we going for breakfast?” 

“I was thinking somewhere with Water Tribe food?” She suggested, making big eyes at him as he tried to scratch the middle of his back, rather unsuccessfully. “I've had to eat Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation for a whole year now. I am dying for some seaweed noodles like you wouldn't believe.” 

“Fine.” He agreed, getting up. “Get out so I can get dressed.” 

“I thought I was like a sister to you?” She mocked. 

“You want to see me naked, fine,” Bolin called her bluff, stripping off his undershirt before going to pull the strings on his pants. 

Korra covered her eyes, calling _his_ bluff, because it was Korra, and he should have known better. A year apart had made him lose his edge when it came to her antics. “Anyway,” Korra kept talking, hand clapped over her eyes securely, “I have some awesome stories to tell you, like, you wouldn't believe. Crazy stuff. I actually met this spirit, and it tried to _eat me_ , the ungrateful bastard. Turns out the people in the town had been dumping oil into the waters, and when I cleaned it out, this great big monster turns into a little otter and it tries to make up with me, because it thought giving me an oyster would make me forgive it for trying to _eat me_.” She made a face. “Had a pearl in it though. I think I might get it made into a necklace, or something. What do you think?”

“Because I care about jewelry.” He said, finding a clean pair of pants and shirt in his closet. He pulled on a clean undershirt too, then went hunting for socks. He was sure he had a pair somewhere. It was too chilly to go without, much as he loved being barefoot. “So, why was it trying to eat you?”

Korra turned nervous, shifting in that way that told Bolin she wasn't entirely innocent in the affair. “I didn't know it was the river spirit, okay? I might have firebended at it, a little.” 

“Korra.” He admonished. “I thought you were supposed to be connecting with your spiritual side more?” 

“He looked like a giant monster, and he was coming right at me!” She protested, waving her free hand around in emphasis. “What was I supposed to do? And it all worked out, anyway.” She sniffed. “Are you dressed yet?” 

He finished the last buttons on his shirt. “Yes.” She took the hand away, and bounced to her feet, ready to go. “Come on, fix your hair, and let's go, I'm dying.” 

Bolin's own stomach rumbled some more, so he did as he was told with minimal whining. “Fine, I'm ready.” 

However, when they came out of the dorms, his appetite vanished, because standing there, arms clasped behind him, the same way he always stood, was Iroh. He wasn't in his uniform, but instead, everyday clothing. As always, he failed at it a little, too used to a uniform. He was unsteady looking in grey pants that had obviously seen little use, and a red shirt with a low collar. 

He didn't look much different than he had looked four years ago. A little older, maybe, aged a little harder by the wind and sea and war. Other than that, he looked very much like he had the first time Bolin had seen him, though then, he'd been in his uniform, striking and confident, almost arrogant. 

“Oh, hey, Bolin, this is my friend, Iroh, he's the captain of the ship. I invited him along, since you guys didn't get to meet last night.” Korra slung an arm around Bolin, smiling, as Iroh turned. 

Bolin looked away. “Hey.” He managed, and berated himself, because he was as bad as Mako. Worse, even. 

“Hello, Bolin.” Iroh sounded normal. Of course he did. “You look well.” 

“Yeah, you too.” Did he have to sound so casual? Why couldn't he think of anything to say? He was a great talker, he had to be, with a brother like Mako. 

Korra was looking between them, eyebrow raised in confusion. “Am I missing something?” 

Bolin swallowed, and got himself together. “Iroh and I already met, a few years ago. Before you came to Republic City. I meant to tell you, but other stuff kept coming up.”

“Right.” Korra was nodding like she totally believed that, and wasn't going to corner Bolin as soon as possible for the whole story. Just his luck. He hated life, right now. “So, why didn't you tell me?” She was looking at Iroh. “I know I mentioned Bo to you.”

“You mentioned _a_ Bo. You never said it was Bolin, and you didn't mention Mako.” That would have been a dead giveaway, of course. No way there was another Bolin and Mako, and no way Iroh could forget his brother.

Korra had her thinking face on, and with a sinking feeling, Bolin realized she was piecing it together. She had to have, after Mako's apparently obvious show of dislike towards him. “Well,” she drawled, the arm around Bolin tightening in a warning sort of way. “Since we all already know each other, no reason we can't go get breakfast together, is there? I'm sure you and Bolin have a lot to talk about.” 

Oh, she totally knew, he thought with an internal groan. Hopefully, she just thought this was one of his usual flings-gone-bad, and not what it really was. “Yeah, sounds good.” He said, smiling at Iroh in a way that he hoped sufficiently begged him to keep his mouth shut about all of it. “So, Water Tribe food? How about we go to Kaya's?” 

“Is that place still open?” She asked, still hanging off him as they walked. “I thought they got shut down for good after last time?” 'Last time' was the last time the customer base had erupted into a brawl that had spilled out into the street and cause about ten thousand yuan worth of property damage, not to mention the injuries sustained. Bolin himself had sported a bloody nose and a broken arm, while Korra had grinned through a bruised cheekbone and three bruised ribs. 

Mako hadn't spoken to either of them for almost twelve hours. 

“They re-opened a few months ago.” He explained. “Kaya had to sign some stuff, and the cops are always there now.” Actually, that hadn't done much to cut down on the brawling. Turned out, cops were as volatile as anyone else. More so, even. “But the food is still really good, and everyone's too hung over in the morning to fight, so we'll be good.” 

Iroh was smiling, in that way that just barely tugged up the corner of his mouth. “I seem to remember you saying that once before.” 

Despite himself, Bolin laughed. “Yeah, well, we got out alright, didn't we?” 

The other man was watching him, the smile gone now. Bolin looked away, because oh yeah, Iroh didn't actually like him very much now, did he? It was easy to forget, when Iroh was standing beside him again, and it felt like before, like Iroh was awesome, and Bolin was awesome, and together, they were the best thing ever. 

“Aw, Bolin, you didn't take Iroh there already, did you?” Korra whined, as they approached the ferry. When Iroh was two steps ahead of them, their pace a little slower thanks to the awkwardness of Korra hanging off him, she leaned in and hissed, all too gleefully. “Do you take every date there, Bo?” 

He elbowed her, hard enough she wheezed, and she took the hint. 

“Okay, jeez,” Korra muttered, breathless. “When did you get so touchy?” 

Bolin glared, as best he could when he came to her, and she rolled her eyes in reluctant acceptance. She was going to nail him to the wall later, no doubt, but for now, she'd behave. Much as Korra liked to tease, she knew when Bolin was serious, and she cared about him enough to respect it. 

“Only once,” Iroh said, answering her question. “And we were given a lifetime ban, if I remember correctly.” 

“That only applied until it got shut down again,” Bolin explained. “After that, everyone's got a clean slate again, and there was a huge raid on it right after,” Iroh didn't turn, or anything, as Bolin continued, looking at the ground instead of him. “Right after you, um, right after your ship left.” 

Neither of them said anything, as they boarded, though it didn't look like Iroh was having any kind of bad reaction. Not like Bolin was, as his stomach twisted into knots, remembering that morning, and the argument that had preceded it, Iroh trying one last time, right before the horizon turned grey with morning light. 

“Speaking of, when are you going to let the ship off lock down?” Korra asked, peering around Bolin at Iroh. 

“Korra, it's not called lock down,” Iroh said, sounding impatient with her. 

“Whatever, when are you going to let everyone out? They're getting antsy.” 

“I'm aware, but it's important everyone is cleared before they're allowed into the general populace. I don't want any accidents happening because someone wasn't ready yet.” Bolin wasn't quite sure what he meant by that, but he wasn't brave enough to ask. 

There had been a time when he and Iroh could talk about anything, when no subject had been taboo, when Iroh had felt safe telling Bolin about war, about how nightmares kept him pacing some nights, how he had bended in his sleep more than once. In turn, Bolin had felt alright with telling Iroh about his parents, about how he worried he was holding Mako back from a real life. 

It had been so easy. He'd never been more hopeful for his future than when he and Iroh were talking about it. 

If he and Iroh could be friends again, he'd like it. But he didn't think that was possible. Iroh had been so mad, and now it seemed like he had no desire to really talk to Bolin anymore, not that he blamed him. 

Korra made a frustrated noise. “You're such a rule monger sometimes. It's like you're allergic to fun.” 

That didn't sound like the Iroh that Bolin had known. His Iroh had been as mischievous as he was, as eager to cause trouble and laugh. 

“Rules are good, in some cases. And someone has to keep us alive.” 

She made a face at him. “I'm sorry, who was it who boarded a ship by flying with his bending, without warning anyone? Because I seem to remember having to save that idiot's ass, on more than one occasion.” 

“You were right behind me, so don't even start.” He replied, frowning at her. “And if I remember right, I'm up by three.” 

“No fair! You're totally counting that time with the unagi, and that was _so_ not my fault!” 

“Fine, than I'm up by two, which means I'm still winning.” Now that grin, that grin Bolin knew, really well. It was the same one he'd had right before they'd gotten banned from the noodle shop, right before they broke into the park, and right before he'd convinced Bolin to start a brawl with two Agni Kai. 

What hadn't he convinced Bolin to do?

Not that he was the only guilty party. They'd been nothing but trouble, together. Bolin was beginning to think he had a thing for crazy people. 

“Yeah, well, we'll see about that.” Korra scoffed. “I'm so saving you, even if I have to start a fight with some Triad trash.” She meant it too, Bolin could tell from the look in her eye. 

“Like I would need saving from them.” Iroh dismissed. 

Korra pointed at him. “Don't test me, buddy. Don't test me.” 

Breakfast was much of the same, with Korra telling wild stories emphasized by huge gesticulations, including what had happened with the unagi, exactly, and why it was totally Aang's fault and not Korra's. Iroh and him were able to effectively avoid speaking to one another for most of the meal, and Korra thankfully showed some tact, and didn't ask. 

Well, she didn't ask at breakfast. He was pretty sure she was going to grill him later, as soon as she had him alone. 

By the time they got back to the ferry, he was pretty relaxed. Things had gone okay, and now they could just try to stay out of each other's way. 

Except than Korra ditched him.

“I forgot, I wanted to go visit Lin!” She shouted, and before Bolin could stop her, she had airbended across the gap between the departing ferry and dock. She turned and waved cheerfully. “I'll catch you two later!”

Bolin watched her, with his mouth open, wishing he wasn't so completely unsurprised. Korra was about as subtle as a rock to the head, sometimes. 

Iroh didn't say anything, for a moment, and neither did Bolin. “She knows, doesn't she?” The captain finally asked, after they had awkwardly avoided looking at each other for a minute. 

“Probably.” He answered, rubbing the back of his neck. “She's pretty good at that kind of thing.” Iroh didn't say anything else, so he figured it was up to him to finally talk about the giant pink rabaroo in the room. “Look, Iroh, no one really knows, except Mako. It's not exactly something I bring up, you know?”

“Of course.” Iroh had that stony expression on his face, the one Bolin never liked. 

He swallowed, and kept talking. “So, could we just try to get along? I don't want to cause problems, for you, or Korra, or anyone. I just want everyone to get along.” 

“Do you ever think maybe you spend too much time trying to please others?” Iroh asked sharply, a little meaner than Bolin thought he deserved.

“Don't be like that.” He said, trying not to look at his feet. He was a grown man, he could act like one. “It was four years ago.” 

“So that means it's alright to just pretend it never happened?” That was definitely meaner than he deserved, and he wasn't going to put up with it. He knew he'd hurt Iroh, and he knew he was still mad, but he didn't need to be a dick about it. 

“That's not what I said. Don't twist my words around. I just don't want Korra to think she has to choose between us, and I don't want anyone feeling uncomfortable.” Korra deserved to rest, and be happy with all of them, not stress out over who she could be around and when. “We can at least be okay around each other, can't we?”

“You care an awful lot about what Korra thinks.”

“She's my best friend!” He said, now angry himself, because Iroh couldn't really be doing this again. “If you can't be civil, than just say so, and we'll figure something else out. But don't ruin her homecoming.” 

The man was looking at him in a weird way that he couldn't read. But then he looked away, out over the water. “I can be civil.”

“I mean with Mako, too.” Now Iroh really frowned. 

“Your brother started it last night. The first thing he told me was to stay away from you.” He rolled his eyes. “It was like old times, really. Only this time, you weren't sneaking out an hour later to meet me.” 

Bolin gave him a half-smile, more at the memory than anything else. “He thinks I will.”

And he would, he realized, as he watched Iroh out of the corner of his eye. If only for the flame still flickering in his heart, after all these years. It had nearly consumed him, back then, but had dwindled down into a memory of being in love, of being with someone who loved him back. He liked that memory, a whole lot more than he should. 

“He's not very good at letting go of the past.” He said aloud, thinking of that box in Mako's room, containing all that Mako thought was left of their parents. 

“You and him aren't very much alike.” Iroh said. “He at least can stick by his own feelings. He doesn't let other people change his mind.” He wasn't looking at Bolin as he spoke, but out at the sea, probably thinking of being back out there, away from him. “But I guess if someone is so easily persuaded, they're not really worth that much time anyway.”

The comment was harsh, and meant to wound. Bolin had nothing left to say, after that, and apparently neither did Iroh. 

They parted ways once they were on the Island, and Bolin resolved to get revenge on Korra, one way or the other, because that had been one conversation he could have done without. 

He'd get revenge, he thought, as he curled up on his bed, and tried not to cry. He'd get so much revenge.

**Author's Note:**

> Criticism. Please.
> 
> That said, this is an experiment in silliness. My other two on-going fics are killing me with all their drama. Even my mood can be dampened, apparently, if I force myself to dwell on angst long enough.


End file.
